Gianluca Prestianni, the 20-year-old Benfica midfielder, has been suspended for six matches by UEFA following homophobic conduct during the UEFA Champions League play-off second leg against Real Madrid in Lisbon.
The sanction stems from an incident in the match where Prestianni directed abusive language toward Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, which UEFA determined constituted homophobic behavior under its disciplinary regulations.
According to UEFA’s official statement released through Reuters, the suspension was imposed after a review of the incident that occurred during the February 17, 2026, encounter at Estádio da Luz. The governing body cited “violations of the basic rules of decent conduct” and specifically referenced the use of homophobic language as grounds for the sanction.
Vinícius Júnior, who scored the lone goal in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory, had previously alleged that he was subjected to racist abuse during the match. Though, UEFA’s disciplinary decision focused exclusively on Prestianni’s conduct and did not address the Brazilian’s claims of racial discrimination in its official communication regarding this case.
The six-match ban means Prestianni will miss Benfica’s remaining Champions League fixtures should they advance, as well as domestic league and cup matches. The suspension applies immediately and covers all UEFA club competition matches.
This disciplinary action adds to a tense history between the two clubs in the 2025/26 Champions League campaign. The first leg, played three weeks prior at Santiago Bernabéu, ended in a shocking 4-2 defeat for Real Madrid, where Benfica’s goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a late header to seal the upset result that sent the Spanish giants into the play-offs.
Real Madrid entered the second leg under significant pressure, having already lost the Super Cup, parted ways with head coach Xabi Alonso earlier in the season, and been eliminated from the Copa del Rey by a lower-league side. Advancing to the Round of 16 was framed as a necessity for the club’s prestige and season viability.
Vinícius Júnior’s goal in the 50th minute proved decisive, cutting in from the left and firing a right-footed shot past Benfica goalkeeper Trubin. The goal broke a deadlock that had persisted through the first half and ultimately secured Real Madrid’s progression to the next round with a 1-0 aggregate victory.
The incident contributing to Prestianni’s suspension occurred amid heightened tensions on the pitch, with both teams acutely aware of the stakes. Post-match, Vinícius Júnior spoke to beIN Sports about facing discriminatory abuse, stating he had been targeted with racist remarks during the contest, though no official charges were filed by UEFA regarding those specific allegations in relation to this match.
Benfica, meanwhile, will now face the remainder of their season without one of their emerging young talents. Prestianni, who had grow a regular feature in Roger Schmidt’s midfield setup, represented a key creative outlet for the Portuguese side before his absence.
UEFA’s decision underscores the governing body’s continued emphasis on enforcing its anti-discrimination protocols, which prohibit any form of abusive or discriminatory language based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion, or ethnicity during matches under its jurisdiction.
The six-match suspension aligns with previous UEFA sanctions for similar offenses, reflecting a standardized approach to disciplinary matters involving discriminatory conduct in European club competitions.
As of this writing, neither Benfica nor Real Madrid has issued an official public response to the disciplinary decision through their respective channels. Prestianni has not made any public statements regarding the incident or the sanction imposed upon him.
The next confirmed checkpoint in UEFA club competition is the draw for the Champions League Round of 16, scheduled for later this month, which will determine Real Madrid’s opponent in the subsequent stage of the tournament.
For continued updates on this developing story and other Champions League developments, readers are encouraged to follow official UEFA communications and trusted sports news sources.
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